


The Tudors, Season 4, Episode 9, Secrets of the Heart

by TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s04e09 Secrets of the Heart, Meta, Nonfiction, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28092912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and the rest of the series. Complete.
Kudos: 2





	The Tudors, Season 4, Episode 9, Secrets of the Heart

Open to Henry using a singular glass to read a report when Edward comes in. It turns out N2 has screwed up in France.

The day isn’t given, but I’m guessing this takes place on one ending in ‘y’.

In a meeting, Henry declares he’s sending Edward to replace the recalled NS. Risley is appointed Lord Chancellor and given a baronhood. Charles Brandon says both the French and the emperor’s men are attacking England.

After the meeting, Ambassador Snape approaches Edward to point out Henry is really destroying England. Aside from massive poverty, failing crops, and spreading plague, Henry is making enemies left-and-right as well as driving the country deeper into debt.

Acknowledging his own opposition to the war, Edward points out, still, he lost all the arguments he made against it.

Ambassador Snape urges him to argue continue arguing for peace, and if he could convince Henry to give up the French town, that would be also really help.

Meanwhile, likely remembering Cromwell, Risley isn’t sure what to make of his new honours. Gardiner and Rich think this will help them strengthen the Catholic faction, but Risley says Henry is so changeable that Risley wonders if Henry knows his own mind.

For all this is a completely understandable thing to wonder, it’s probably not a good idea to say when there are people all around who might hear him.

Elsewhere, Brigitte and Charles Brandon meet Henry Brandon. Dark and curly-haired, he looks to be somewhere between 17 to early 20s.

Based on Katherine’s statement of the princeling being able to play with him, I assumed Henry Brandon was around the princeling’s age. This character would make more sense if he were Edward Brandon. His hair’s brunet and less curly, but this could be attributed to ageing.

Charles Brandon is extremely happy to see him, and it turns out Henry B and Brigitte have met before. Announcing Brigitte is his official mistress, Charles Brandon continues he’s sorry CB is unhappy but that she’s made him unhappy for some time. Brigitte scolds him, but he insists Henry B is old enough to hear such things. Henry B assures Brigitte he’s happy for her and his father.

At a meal, Henry, Katherine, and her sister sit. Henry complains about everyone trying to interpret the facts. Katherine shows Henry a book she’s written and dedicated to him.

Appearing, Gardiner wants to arrest Anne Askew. This causes subtle uneasiness in Katherine. Henry grants his permission.

Elsewhere, Anne Askew is preaching Protestant ideas when guards place her under arrest. In response, loudly praying, she holds tightly to the platform she’s standing in. They pry her away, and giving no physical resistance, she continues praying.

Meanwhile, standing in front of Gardiner, Risley, Charles Brandon, and Tom, N2 tries to defend himself. Charles Brandon comes across as mostly sympathetic, but I haven’t figured out how he actually feels about N2. To writ: Henry isn’t celebrating a great victory, N2 fled the battlefield, and as a result, N2 will be stripped of his membership from the special knighthood of the hilarious uniforms.

So much for N2 being Lancelot and his self-righteous, almost gleeful hanging of deserters.

Tom continues Edward is launching an investigation of all those N2 appointed. N2 insists he’s incorruptible, and Charles Brandon answers, nevertheless, the council’s stripping him of his titles and barring him from returning to France.

N2 wants to talk to Henry, but Henry is refusing to grant him an audience.

Elsewhere, Rich tells Mary that Eustace is dead. Then, he assures her she still has many true friends at court, such as Gardiner.

Rich is such an interesting character. Eventually, he turns on people, but when he’s loyal, he’s loyal.

Mary asks if Rich is Catholic, and answering in the affirmative, he kisses her hand. She complains about the princeling being brought up as a heretic, and Rich promises Gardiner is trying to stop this. However, Gardiner needs to know he has Mary’s support. Mary gives it.

In the tower, Anne Askew is being interrogated. She admits a lady sent her money, but she refuses to admit it was done with Katherine’s support. Gardiner whispers something to a man named Edmund.

I think this character is supposed to be Anthony Kingston, who had an illegitimate son named Edmund, but I could be missing something.

Whatever Gardiner whispers causes Edmund to look at him in horror and protest, but Gardiner orders him to do as he’s told.

Anne is led to the rack.

Meanwhile, N2 is complaining to Charles Brandon, and sympathetic Charles Brandon advises him to wait things out. N2 is determined to go against Edward, and Charles Brandon counsels him not to.

I don’t know if he’s using reverse psychology or if he’s just decided it’s not worth it anymore to try to destroy Edward.

Back in the tower, Anne is tied to the rack, and Edmund repeatedly tells the torturers just to pinch her and nothing more. Anne refuses to answer the questions. They decide to torture her further, and Edmund protests it’s illegal to rack a woman.

I wonder if all torture of women was illegal or just using the rack on them was. I’ve done some research but haven’t been able to find anything further than the fact Anne Askew was tortured with the rack, and seeking an audience with Henry to ask for his pardon for this, Anthony Kingston was granted the pardon by Henry.

Rich and Risley, however, are having none of his protests. They point out they have permission from Henry to examine her. Countering they don’t have permission to do this, Edmund calls his torturers away.

Risley and Anne Askew have a religious argument, and he calls her a stupid woman. Then, deciding they don’t need the torturers, Risley and Rich operate the rack themselves.

Meanwhile, Edmund informs Henry that Anne Askew was tortured in violation of Henry’s laws. Having Edmund sit down, Henry declares, in cases of extreme heresy, extreme measures must be taken.

Back in the tower, Anne Askew still refuses to answer.

Next, in Parliament, December 24, 1545, Henry gives a speech about the religious upheaval in the kingdom, and despite him being a large cause of such upheaval, he does make some reasonable points about clergymen being at war with one another and laypeople not being completely innocent when it comes to these clergy wars. Bringing up the fact he gave them The Bible in their native tongue, he orders them to love and respect one another and give charity to others.

This earns a round of applause.

Later, Katherine, Anne, Tom, and Katherine’s sister talk about Henry’s speech. They all agree the Reformation isn’t done and worry about Henry hindering it.

Outside, Charles Brandon and Brigitte walk. He explains he knows there are plots going on around court but that he’s no longer in the loop. Even Henry doesn’t confide in him anymore.

Brigitte thinks this is a good thing, and he agrees it gives him more time to spend with her. He continues he’s worried about the kingdom due to the fact Henry’s likely to die before the princeling reaches majority, and whoever controls the prince, controls the realm.

Brigitte asks if he still loves Henry, and he doesn’t verbally answer. The answer, however, will soon be revealed.

Elsewhere, Edward informs Henry that, in eight years, Henry has to give the town back and will be given two million crowns. Henry agrees.

Coming in, Risley says Gardiner wants permission to arrest three of Katherine’s ladies, including her sister.

Meanwhile, in a secret meeting, N2 has the brilliant idea of kidnapping the princeling.

In other news, I think I might owe Brereton an apology for going overboard in voicing my beliefs in his utter lack of common sense and competence.

At a feast, Katherine greets Risley and Gardiner, and they both force themselves to be polite.

Elizabeth asks to dance, and KA gives permission.

Katherine goes to talk to the Seymours. It’s revealed Edward is back from France, and Katherine’s sister has been arrested with several other ladies.

Across the room, Mary and Gardiner talk about his investigation, and it’s established Anne Askew is sentenced to be burned to death.

In a hallway, surrounded by guards, N2 is arrested for treason.

Outside, wearing an awesome cloak, Anne gives one of the executioners a bag of gunpowder along some with money. Instructing him to tie the bag around Anne Askew’s neck, she emotionally tells him to do so not just for the money but also for the love of God. He agrees.

Next, Anne Askew is carried out on a liter. She and Anne Seymour share a look. As she’s tied to the stake, Risley tells Anne Seymour that Gardiner wants to see her soon.

Tying the gunpowder around Anne Askew’s neck, the exexutioner explains it’s a gift from a friend. The two Annes manage to smile briefly at one another. Anne Seymour tries to stop her tears. Anne Askew reacts when the fire burns her, but it doesn’t last long before the gunpowder blows her up.

Interestingly, in real life, eyewitness reports say Anne Askew didn’t scream for quite some time. However, I can’t blame the show for not going with this. [Just because something is true doesn’t always mean it’d come across as realistic to audiences.](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RealityIsUnrealistic)

Meanwhile, Edmund and Rich interrogate N2. Edmund declares, if N2 became king, he’d move abroad.

It’s a shame Edmund wasn’t in earlier episodes.

Elsewhere, Edward informs Henry about N2’s plot to kidnap the princeling and (possibly) kill all the council members. In response, Henry declares he no longer loves N2.

In the tower, N2 confides in his servant about a plan to escape.

Back to Katherine, she comforts her crying sister with the assurance the fact she was released means nothing was found and that everything will be all right.

Next, N2 is caught trying to escape.

At his trial, he gains cheers from many people.

In the hallway, Rich, Risley, and Edward talk, and they recognise they’ll all be better off with N2 gone. However, the jurors make it clear they won’t find N2 guilty. Edward points out the law is whatever Henry wants, and if the jurors don’t do what Henry wants, they’ll suffer.

Elsewhere, Katherine talks to Mary. Mary cruelly declares there are rumours Henry is looking for a new wife. Gently reminding Mary of their once close friendship, she promises she still loves Mary. Then, she realises aloud the feeling is no longer mutual. “Why?”

Back at N2’s trial, he’s sentenced to be drawn-and-quartered. The unhappy crowd tries to riot.

There’s a shot of Henry reading.

N2’s last scene has him VOing a poem as he’s led away.

In a gathering of people, Henry and Katherine talk about her continuing to read and write books. Unhappy with her trying to convince him to continue the religious reforms, he dismisses her.

Everyone but Gardiner leaves, and Henry complains about Katherine constantly lecturing him. Using flattery, Gardiner tries to convince Henry to let him put her on trial, and agreeing to let her be put on trial, Henry says her life will be spared.

Fin.


End file.
